title: An indirect comparison, via enoxaparin, of rivaroxaban with dabigatran in the prevention of venous thromboembolism after hip or knee replacement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy, in the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and safety, of rivaroxaban and dabigatran relative to the common comparator enoxaparin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two randomized clinical trials of dabigatran, one after total hip replacement (THR), RE-NOVATE, and one after total knee replacement (TKR), RE-MODEL, were identified as using the same enoxaparin regimen (40 mg once daily given the evening before surgery) and being of comparable duration to two rivaroxaban trials, RECORD1 and RECORD3. Indirect comparisons were performed on both efficacy and safety endpoints. To enable comparisons, symptomatic VTE results were based on the total study duration period, i.e. including the follow-up period. Major bleeding included surgical-site bleeding events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After THR, rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily significantly reduced total VTE and symptomatic VTE relative to dabigatran 220 mg once daily (relative risk 0.34 and 0.19, respectively). After TKR, rivaroxaban significantly reduced total VTE versus dabigatran (relative risk 0.53); symptomatic VTE was not different between dabigatran and rivaroxaban. There was no significant difference in the rates of major bleeding for patients receiving rivaroxaban or dabigatran.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the indirect comparisons, rivaroxaban was estimated to be more efficacious than dabigatran in the prevention of total VTE after THR and TKR. Our analysis relied upon published data for dabigatran and did not have the advantages of more detailed comparative data obtained directly from a randomized trial, as was the case with rivaroxaban. Further comparative research may be of value, but until available our conclusions represent the best available evidence.
authors.affiliation: Carrigaline, County Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lereun
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diamantopoulos
authors.forename: Farhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rasul
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.forename: Nishan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sengupta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069604:Dabigatran; D017984:Enoxaparin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009025:Morpholines / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D000069552:Rivaroxaban; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D017984:Enoxaparin; D009025:Morpholines; D013876:Thiophenes; D015091:beta-Alanine; D000069552:Rivaroxaban; D000069604:Dabigatran